Guest column: What we're all about on the local theater scene

By SCOTTY LILLY & KEVIN MORIARTY, Special to the Daily News

3:00 AM, Nov 4, 2012

Scott Lilly, left, and Kevin Moriarity have worked for years on Marco productions. Now they want to create their own. Their Let's Put On A Show productions will launch this spring with "Pageant Play" at the Golden Gate Community Center.

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to clear up a few misunderstandings concerning our new theater company, Let's Put On A Show Productions.

Please know we are not a Marco Island company. Even though we've worked with amazing talent on Marco, our focus is on Naples and surrounding areas.

Currently we are focusing on Golden Gate. We are interested in getting the locals involved in our productions, which we feel will bring in local residents for our first show, "Pageant Play," at the Golden Gate Community Center at 4701 Golden Gate Parkway

It is an excellent venue for our inaugural production. There's a lot going on in Golden Gate. A wide range of activities already take place at the community center — from Zumba classes to Sunday church services. There is even a farmers market there every weekend. We like the fact that the auditorium will hold as few as 50 and as many as 150 people.

Plus, the parking lot is well-lit and safe.

There are several restaurants in the area for folks to get a bite to eat before the show.

The staff, along with Vicki Wilson, the community center manager, have been extremely helpful. They are willing to go the extra mile to see that our needs are met so that we can do the best we can with what resources they currently have. We are interested in possibly doing more productions with GGCC.

We've been discussing the idea and throwing ideas around for several months regarding starting up a production company. We've been attending local productions, reading scripts, doing shows, and a lot of research.

Pat Berry and Patty Ziesig of The Island Theater Company and Beverly Dahlstrom of the Marco Players have been very supportive in our new endeavor and gave us the confidence and fortitude to surge forward with Let's Put On A Show Productions.

"Pageant Play'' is a sharp-witted, clever satire in the wake of reality TV shows, specifically child beauty pageants. "Pageant Play'' sets two pageant mothers in a deadly contest while their "daughters" strut their stuff. Show are planned for February and March; please watch for announcements.

We were looking to do another quirky type of comedy, and with the positive experience we had with the success of "Queen of Bingo," that we co-directed for the Island Theater Company. We feel the topical subject manner would be a good fit.